Fearless
by Rashelleah95
Summary: Lily becomes injured, and James Potter of all people has been selected to care for her. Read and Review! Co-authored by ihearthp96.
1. Chapter 1

"Lily, please. She really misses you and I know she wants to talk to you, so could you just-?"

"No, Mum. She's had her chance. You've been trying to get me to talk to her all summer, and for what? She never stays in the same room with me for more than few minutes, and she still never calls me by my name. Just 'Freak' most of the time. Can you please _try_ to understand that this treatment wasn't my idea?" Lily rolled her eyes as her mother berated her on the platform.

"I understand, Lily, most likely better than you do. But I can never accept it. No mother can be content with her daughters not speaking." Mrs. Evans was tearing up. Lily hated to see her mother cry. It was unnatural, like a kind Lucius Malfoy or an ugly Iris. She turned away and instead focused on searching for her friends through the diminishing crowd. She decided that they must already be on the train, and made a mental note to swat the girls for not waiting for her.

"I'm not asking you to accept it- I just want you to stop badgering me!" Lily snapped at her mother, turning around to face her.

"I'm sorry if I'm 'badgering' you." Said her mum in a hollow voice, drying her tears with a tissue.

"It's ok mum, I didn't mean it like that." Lily said remorsefully, casting down her eyes.

"It's fine, dear." Her mother smiled at her, brushing strands of bright red hair from her daughter's face. "Remember that I love you and your father too, and even Petunia does."

"Mum-"

"And study hard! Write to us, ok?"

"Mother-"

"And follow the rules! I don't want to hear anything bad-"

"MUM!"

"What is it, dear?"

"The train's _moving_! I've got to go!"

"Oh. Good-bye sweetheart! Be sure to thank Mr. Dumbledore for helping us with protection! I love you!" Mrs. Evans blew her daughter a kiss as Lily ran for the train, lugging her bags behind her.

"Bye, mum! I promise I will. Love you too!" She waved back at her mother, who was waving her hanker-chief. Lily threw her bag through the closing doors and jumped in after it.

Bending to pick up her bag, she felt a horrid pain in her skull, and felt a burning sensation spread over the back of her head. She tried not to move, but the world was hazy in the pain. She heard a scream, and knew that it was hers. Suddenly, she heard someone wrench the train door open. She stumbled forward and tripped over her bags, crashing into the wall face-first. She heard something snap in her ankle and felt her wrist twist around. Then, she tasted blood and everything went black.

"Lily?" James Potter stood over the now unconscious Lily, horror spelled all over his face. She was splayed on the floor, one leg pinned beneath her, and the other crushed beneath her trunk. One wrist was trapped under her, and the other was painfully twisted against the wall. He couldn't see her face. Her hair fell, dripping with blood, over her shoulders, hiding her face. He could just see the tip of her nose, and the blood-puddle forming on the ground near what he supposed was her mouth. He bit his lip, unsure of what to do. He made up his mind. Picking up the heavy trunk in one hand, he waved his wand with the other.

"Locomoter Lily!" He muttered, waving his wand over at her unconscious form. She rose into the air, floating upright. Tilting her head to the side, he changed his mind. With a wave of his wand, the trunk began to float beside him, about waist-hight. He trained his wand on Lily, and she floated into a horizontal position that made her look like she was sleeping, or stunned. With a flick of his wand, she floated over to him, and he twitched his wand one more time before catching her in his arms, bridal style.

"Potter." Snape opened the door of a nearby compartment. "What are you-" His sneer died mid-taunt. "What-?"

"Snape, you're looking bat-like today. Crucio anyone lately?" Asked James mockingly, shooting an ugly look at Snape.

"What happened to her?" Asked Snape, looking shocked.

"She fell. What's it to you, Snivellus? Mad that someone else got there first?" James sneered.

"Give her to me." Said Snape, holding out his scrawny arms as if to take her.

"No way, Snivellus! Why should I? Got any death-eater pals with you? Gonna make me hand her over?" asked James, acting fake-scared, and beginning to back away.

"I'm her best friend!" Said Snape fiercely, stepping closer.

"Yeah, try _was_." James glanced quickly at Lily's face. There was blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, and he could feel the blood flowing from her skull soaking the sleeve of his robes. She was paler than death.

"Who cares what you think?" Jeered Snape, angrily. "Now give her to me!"

"You called her a you-know-what!" James turned around to walk away.

"Give her to me!" Snape followed James before he had taken even one step.

"Why should I?" asked James, turning to face Snape, Lily swinging in his arms.

"How do I know you didn't do this to her?" Demanded Snape angrily, folding his arms and glaring.

"Are you blind and stupid, Snivellus?" James pointed with his wand toward the doors of the train, scarlet with her blood, lifting Lily's head so that Snape clearly saw her bleeding tresses. Snape flinched.

"Give her to me." His voice was quieter now, and he stood in James' way with his wand drawn. James lost what patience he had left.

"Locamoter Lily!" James said again. She rose gracefully from his arms. He walked up to Snape and punched him in the face. Snape fell back, clutching his now broken nose. Lily landed safely back in his arms, and he looked down at her, relieved.

No one else was in the hallways yet- perhaps they were settling in their compartments. They ran into no one as James walked with the unconscious Lily in his arms. He reached the back compartment finally, and waved his wand to open the door.

"Prongs!" Sirius grinned over at James from the window seat. He was lying lazily with his feet propped up on the seat in front of him.

"Padfoot!" said James, with a smile. "Long time, no see." Everyone laughed. Sirius had been living at James's house that summer. Remus was reading a small tightly rolled up scroll, sitting on the seat next to the door on the right. Peter was sitting in the seat on the left of the door, copying a piece of parchment in Remus's handwriting.

"Hey so what's-" They all stopped their happy greeting when they saw Lily. Remus immediately got up from his seat and James laid Lily across three seats of the four.

"Hey guys, have you seen Lily? Snape said-" Iris stepped into the compartment, and she gasped.

"What happened?" asked Kylie, aghast, as she stepped into the compartment beside Iris. James explained the situation, explaining what he had seen happen to Lily.

"Ok." Said Iris, regaining her composure. "Have you written to Madam Pomfrey yet?" She asked, kneeling beside her friend.

"In progress." said Remus, indicating a piece of parchment he was writing on hurriedly.

"In the mean time, shall we exchange formalities?" asked Sirius.

"Why not." responded Iris.

"Me first." Kylie smiled. She hugged Remus quickly, so that he could keep writing. She progressed to hug James, shake hands with Peter, and slap Sirius. Then she nodded at them all and sat between Peter and Remus on the left.

"Me next." Iris sighed. She hugged James, shook hands with Peter, clapped Remus on the shoulder, and slapped Sirius. She made to sit down, but there was no room for her. Lily took up all of the seats on the right but the one that James occupied, and Peter, Kylie, Remus and Sirius took up the four seats on the left side.

"Where am I supposed to sit?" She asked. Sirius grinned evilly and patted his lap, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "No way." She shook her head at Sirius, standing her ground.

"Why stay here?" asked Remus, opening the window for his tiny owl. "We can go and visit people on the train as soon as we get a reply from Madam Pomfrey. Deal?"

"Someone has to stay with her." Replied Iris, stubbornly. "I'll do it." She nodded decisively.

"No, dear lady!" exclaimed Sirius theatrically. "You must come with us handsome explorers!" He fluffed his hair and everyone laughed.

"I'll stay." Said James.

"NO!" Everyone said at once, loudly.

"What?" Asked James, offended.

"If she wakes up and sees you, she'll freak." Said Iris.

"She doesn't trust you." Added Remus.

"She'll think you're trying to take advantage of her." Kylie quietly suggested.

"She'll think you're just trying to get lucky!" Said Sirius, trying to keep a straight face.

"Whatever. You all want to stay?" James raised his eye-brows.

"No." They all replied.

"Well, that's that then." He said.

"Now, wait a minute, James!" Iris frowned. "That's not right. We need to handicap you somehow."

"What do you mean?" Asked Sirius curiously. "Like, breaking his leg?"

"Sort of." Said Iris, frowning at him. "More like evening the odds. See, say we left them along, and Lily woke up. James would have the upper hand, because he's not injured. So, if he tried something- not saying that he would-" She added as James opened his mouth. "Just say he did, Lily would not be at a total loss, and she would have a chance to protect herself."

"I see." Said Remus, after a long pause.

"So how do we do this?" Asked Kylie.

"Knock him unconscious?" Suggested Sirius.

"No, stupid." Iris rolled her eyes. "The whole point of him being here is to watch Lily, just in case."

"Take his wand." Said Peter, who had been very silent up till then. He was still writing.

"You've been quiet, Peter." Said Iris. "What are you doing?" She leaned back and closed her eyes for a minute.

"Nothing." Peter muttered, stowing the parchment out of sight.

"I'll tell you what he's doing." Said Sirius, stretching eloquently.

"What?" Asked Iris, curiously.

"Yeah, what's he doing?" Kylie joined in, leaning forward and putting her elbows on her knees. Sirius remained silent.

"Tell us! What are you waiting for?" Asked Iris impatiently.

"I'm waiting for James to ask me what Pete's doing." Said Sirius, a playful smile curling his lips. Everyone laughed.

"Huh?" James looked up. He had not been listening. "What?" He asked.

"Ok, he's asked 'what', that counts, tell us!" Iris said.

"Nope, I think I'm going to milk this a little longer. Someone explain to him what we're talking about." Sirius leaned back contentedly. Everyone groaned. Iris rolled her eyes.

"I'll take care of this." She stopped leaning against the wall of the compartment and stood directly in front of Sirius. She looked deep into his eyes. "Tell us." She said persuasively. He opened his mouth, and then closed it.

"You're good," He told her, nodding. "But not good enough." And then, with one swift moment, he hooked his foot behind her ankles, tripping her. She landed in his lap, and before she could do anything about it, he had her trapped. "Now I'll tell you about what Peter's doing." He grinned at the struggling Iris and continued. "He's copying Remus's summer transfiguration essay." He was going to say more, but he was interrupted by the arrival of Madam Pomfrey's reply. Remus jumped up and let his tiny owl into the compartment. The owl was staggering under the weight of an envelope. Remus opened it at once.

"_Remus,_

_Lily will need to be attended at the school. As the journey takes roughly six hours, I have given you two potions. The blue one will awaken her from her faint and replenish some of the blood she has lost, and should be taken upon the arrival of this owl. The purple one will desensitize her to the pain, and make her sleep. She should remain unconscious and immobile during the remainder of the journey, to avoid further damage to her person. I'm confident that Iris can handle this. _

_Madam Pomfrey." _Remus read aloud.

"Ok then, hand over the potions." Iris said from Sirius's lap.

"I don't see how-" Remus began. Iris rummaged for a minute before there was a bright flash of light and Sirius let her go with a yelp. "-you can attend to her from Sirius's clutches." He finished. Everyone laughed. Iris shoved James out of the seat in front of Lily and bent over her, her eyebrows crinkled in concentration. Her eyes narrowed, she took the parchment envelope from Remus and extracted two small flasks from it. One was full to the cork of deep purple potion, the other a tiny bottle of sky blue liquid. Iris detached a small note on the blue bottle.

"'Iris- please give her the whole of the blue potion, and try to make her take all of the purple at once. Thank you, Madam P.'" Iris read aloud. "Well, ok." She emptied the contents of the light blue bottle into Lily's slightly open mouth. Lily's eyelids fluttered and she took a deep breath. Her green eyes opened and she widened them, taking in her surroundings.

"Wha-What?" She blinked and tried to sit up, and then fell back with a gasp of pain.

"Lily, you had a little accident." Said Iris calmly, putting away the empty bottle.

"Yeah, thanks for the update." Groaned Lily, closing her eyes and frowning.

"Lils, this is no time to joke." Sirius rolled his eyes and sat back, occupying the entire left row of seats, as everyone had had vacated their seats to see Lily when she awoke.

"Yeah, Lily. Seriously. Please stay still. I have to give you some medicine." Iris licked her lips and examined the potion bottle.

"No way. No way in hell." Lily shook her head painfully.

"What do you mean?" Asked Remus quietly, locking his tiny owl in an equally tiny cage.

"She's scared of magical medicine and stuff like that." Kylie leaned her head on Remus's shoulder.

"Are you serious?" Asked James, fascinated.

"No, she's Kylie." Muttered Remus mildly, hugging Kylie to himself. Everyone chuckled at the worn-out joke.

"Not what I meant." Replied James. "Lily, best friend of Iris, who wants to be a Healer, is afraid of medicine?"

"Uh-huh." Said Iris, re-reading Madam Pomfrey's note.

"Yikes." Whispered James, raising his eyebrows.

"Lily, you seriously have to take this stuff." Lectured Iris. "Madam Pomfrey said that you had to keep from injuring yourself any further. Please, for me?" Iris made a puppy face, but Lily shook her head.

"I got this." James walked over from behind Iris to where Lily could see him clearly.

"Don't you dare touch me!" She warned. He cracked a smile and was about to put his left hand on her shoulder when- "What's that?" Asked Lily sharply, indicating James's bloody hand.

"Your blood." said James, blushing.

"Are you sure?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. She forced him to look into her eyes.

"No." He mumbled. "I kind of ran into Snivellus."

"Prongs! You ran into he-who-does-not shampoo?" Sirius asked, in mock shock. Everyone laughed again.

"Don't change the subject." James warned, and brought his hand down on her shoulder. He didn't move his hand or squeeze her shoulder or anything, but she was still. Her mouth was open long enough that Iris poured the potion into it, and she slept.

Hey guys, thanks for reading! Also, please review to let us know what you thought. We need suggestions and props and stuff!

This fic is brought to you by Rashelleah95 and ihearthp96. Enjoy and see you next time!

~Rashelleah95 & ihearthp96


	2. Chapter 2

_. . . another blow hits ya_

_Somebody else gets what you wanted again . . ._

"Ok, now that she's out, what are we gonna do about our fair James here?" Iris stood up from her seat and ruffled James's hair. Sirius looked mutinous. James blushed and stole a glance at the unconscious Lily.

"Well, I think Wormy had the right idea. He shouldn't have a wand." Remus nodded decisively.

"Yeah, that was a good idea." Sirius put in. "I never would have thought it of you, Pete." Everyone laughed and Peter rolled his eyes.

"Ok then, James." Iris spoke to James. She stood at attention and made a strict face. "Staaaaaaaaand up!" James stood at once. Iris turned to Kylie for help with her policewoman charade.

"Stand up and put your hands against the wall." Kylie pointed her wand at James. He did as he was told.

"Remus," Iris said importantly. "Do the honors." Remus stood and took James's wand from him, then proceeded to pat James down. Peter let out a squeaky giggle and Sirius fell on the ground laughing. Last year, Kylie had introduced the Marauders to Muggle crime novels. She'd grown up loving them, and had showed them to Remus, and he passed it one to the rest. Iris and Lily already knew about the standard police pat down, thanks to Lily's Muggle family and the amount of times Iris had visited her house.

Remus finished with James, having uncovered half a dozen dung-bombs, two broken quills, a folded piece of paper, two stink pellets, five tiny rolls of parchment and a rather mushy chocolate frog.

"What's with the minis?" Giggled Kylie, the tiny pieces of parchment rolling around in her hand.

"It's something my dad taught me." James explained, sitting back down next to unconscious Lily. "You shrink the parchment so that you can carry a bunch of it and never feel the weight or run out."

"That's genius!" Iris took one of the minis and weighed it experimentally in her hand. "Very smart." She complimented.

"Just one question," Said James as everyone got up and prepared to leave. "What are you guys doing with my wand and stuff?"

"I'll hold onto it," Said Remus. "I never loose anything." He dropped the small pile of debris into his pocket.

"All you boys must have abnormally large pockets." Remarked Kylie, stretching.

"What do you mean?" Asked Remus, sliding James's wand up his sleeve.

"How did James fit all of that stuff in his pocket? How did you fit all of his stuff in your pocket?" Iris caught on to Kylie's question at once.

"I dunno." Remus shrugged. "Okay, then. Let's go." Remus held the door open for the group.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll run into Snivellus." Sirius fingered his wand mischievously.

"Maybe we'll meet the new prefects." Kylie smiled shyly at Remus. The two had met and bonded over their jobs as prefects. Remus blushed.

"Maybe you'll get lucky!" Said James suggested sarcastically.

"Merlin's pants!" James exclaimed. "Prefects!"

"What?" Asked Iris, the smile whiping itself right of her face. "What is it?"

"God! I just remembered why I was trying to find Lily! I knew she was the Gryfindoor head-girl and I had to find her before going to the meeting!" James moaned. "Now we'll have missed it."

"No problem." Said Kylie, calmly. "We'll stop at the heads' compartment on the trip and see if we can get some notes for you."

"Thanks." James waved good-bye as the door shut behind Remus, Kylie, Peter, Sirius and Iris. James sighed as he slipped into the seat across from Lily. She slept peacefully and he suddenly felt awkward. _Am I seriously watching her sleep?_ He asked himself, turning away and facing the window instead. Soon, he grew bored and closed his eyes.

About an hour later, he was woken by a loud bump as the train went over a lump in the track. Lily stirred in the seats across and sat up as James rubbed his eyes. James crept over to her, and she woke with a start.

"James?" She narrowed her eyes in confusion. She lifted her arm, and yelped in pain, Slowly, she set her arm back on the seat.

"What-?" She began and then stopped-

_Lily's hair pulled painfully at her scalp, she screamed in pain. Blinded, she tripped over her bag and fell against the wall, loosing consciousness._

"_Lily!" The voice echoed in her searing head._

"I tripped." She finally understood what had happened to her and she said that? What was _wrong_ with her? She looked up at James.

"What?" He asked, agitated. "Here, you have to take more of this." He tried to sound soothing, but came across as more drunk-on-fear.

"Wait-no-what?" Lily blanched.

"Huh?" James cocked his head, the potion in his hand.

"Wait, we have to talk; No, I will not take that potion; and what, what's happened while I was asleep; and," She added suspiciously, "What have you been doing?"

"Ok, two can play at that game, what do we have to talk about; why won't you take the potion; the others went exploring; and I've been asleep too." James shot her a smile to mask his terror: Lily seemed delicate enough to break.

"We have to talk about where the others are; I don't' want to be asleep right now, and, um . . . what was it? Oh, let's just stop this!" Lily blustered, blushing. James grinned.

"I can beat you at your own game, huh, Evans?"

"My name is Lily, you arrogant toe-rag." Lily made a face at him and tried to sit up.

"Don't!" He almost yelled.

"What?" she asked innocently, sounding almost frightened.

"Don't move." He put out a hand to touch her, and then pulled back. "Don't hurt yourself."

"Oh no, I'm so not taking that stuff." Lily glared with a repulsed look at the bottle James held.

"Why not?" There was pain in his voice, something buried deep inside.

"I hate thinking that anything could happen and I wouldn't know. I couldn't do anything about it." Her voice broke.

"Look, I will _not_ let anything happen to you. Promise." He placed his hand on her face, and she was powerless. He poured the stuff down her throat and she lost consciousness.

About an hour later, James was snoozing on the other side of the compartment when he heard a soft cry.

"Ja-ames!" Lily called. "Jim-jams!"

"Huh-whoassat-what-Lily?" James fell off the seat and pointed a wand at the ceiling.

"Whoa, were did you get a wand? They took yours!" Lily asked suspiciously. "Wait," She moved her uninjured hand to her belt. "You took my wand!"

"No, I _borrowed_ it." James smirked and twirled the wand between two fingers.

"Yeah, well, right." Lily groaned. "How am I supposed to keep you from giving me more of that stupid medicine?"

"You're not. That's the point." James approached her and uncorked the bottle again.

"No! James, please?" Lily made puppy eyes at James, who was holding the purple liquid up to the light.

" James." Lily knew that if she could get James to look at her, she could bend him to her will.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, pursing his lips. "But you're in pain otherwise."

"Please?" She looked straight at him.

"Stop it." He muttered. "You're trying to make me do what you want. It's not going to happen."

"James?" He finally looked at her. And he fell for it.

"Fine, you have half an hour awake, and then say hello to the 'stupid medicine'." James put said medicine down on the windowsill and flopped down next to Lily.

"Well, thank you." Lily sighed. "I wonder what the others are doing."

"Maybe they ran into someone."

"Maybe they got lucky." Lily chuckled.

"Yeah," James laughed. "Hey, wait- you were supposed to be asleep!" He sputtered.

"Well, the sleepy stuff kicked in right away, but I heard snatches of the conversation." Lily blushed.

"Well, in that case, you deserved to loose your wand!" James laughed.

"Ha ha." Lily smiled ruefully.

"Hey, no need to mock, we both know I'm hilarious." James raised his eyebrows and shot some sparks out of Lily's wand. Lily frowned.

"What? Oh, yeah, your wand. Sorry." James handed it to her.

"That's just it. You _could_ be half decent." Lily turned away.

"Wait, what? I am so more than half decent." James lifted her chin with two fingers, making her look at him.

"You do something nice, and I think maybe you might be somewhere close to decent, and then you just expect that you can go ahead and be big-headed again. It makes me sick." She made a face and pulled away.

"Well, I'm sorry I make you sick, as you honestly can't get much sicker. I think I'll send a patronus to the others." He added as an after though.

"_You_ can do a patronus?" Lily raised her eyebrows, distracted from her anger.

"Uh-huh." James felt in his pocket for a wand, and came up empty.

"Ha ha." Lily grinned over at him, extending her wand.

"You'd let me use your wand after I took it from you?" James widened his eyes.

"Good point." Lily teased, pressing the wand into his hands.

"Thanks," He flicked the wand. "Expecto Patronum!" He exclaimed. Three silver stags erupted from the end of Lily's wand.

"Your Patronus is a stag?" Lily asked.

"Yup. What's yours?"

"A doe." Lily glanced out the door of the compartment, watching people scatter and stare at the silver animal.

"Really?"

"Yes, why?" Lily turned to him in exasperation.

"Oh, nothing, it's just that's also Snivillus's." James sat down next to the reclining Lily.

"Sev?" Lily looked surprised.

"_Sev_?" James made a gagging face and clutched his throat.

"Hey!" Lily wrinkled her nose. James laughed.

"You're cute when you're annoyed." He smiled.

"I'm cute all the time!" Lily laughed.

"That's a little over the top." James said sarcastically, shaking his head.

"Well, think of it as a taste of your own medicine." Lily said triumphantly.

"Too true. Speaking of medicine, it's time for yours!" He tapped his watch.

"No!" Lily covered her mouth with one hand.

"It's been at least forty-five minutes." James sighed, grabbing the potion off the sill and sitting beside Lily.

"Please?" Lily made a face.

"Sorry," James said sadly, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder and poring the potion into her mouth.


	3. Chapter 3

Lily raised her head a fraction of an inch, and groaned. She was sore all over. Leaning forward a little, she saw that James was staring out the window.

"Hey," she said, sitting up a little more and cringed as pain exploded in her chest. _It's nothing. _She assured herself. _Just a few bruises._

"Oh, you're awake." James got up and paced a bit.

"The others send word yet?" Lily flexed the muscles in her neck, wincing stiffly. She'd spent hours lying in the same immobile position. She saw a pile of sweets and candy on the seats opposite her. The trolley must have come while she was out.

"Nope." James stole a glance at her from under his floppy, messy hair.

"Anyway, back to that discussion we were having before," said Lily, gazing out the window.

"Which one?" James asked, gazing at her.

"The one about Sev." Lily said, absentmindedly curling a piece of her hair with her good hand.

"_Sev_," James teased again. "You _so_ like him."

"Do _not_. He's dead to me." Lily rolled her eyes.

"No, he's not. You wish he'd apologize again. You'd forgive him. And you like someone, so it fits." He grinned, as if he had just solved one of the great mysteries of the universe.

"What are you talking a-"

"Save your breath, sweat heart. You talk in your sleep." He was still grinning. He sat beside her and curled her hair around her wand, which he still had.

"No _way_ do I like that scumba-"

"Lily, Lily, Lily. I don't like to hear bad words out of such a cute mouth." He dropped his voice toward the end of the sentence, his own mouth curling into a smile again. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Now, it's time for you to sleep again." And with that he tilted the last of the potion into her mouth.

When Lily woke again, the lanterns were lit and the pile of sweets was all but gone. James had changed into his robes, and was playing with her wand, making things like toy boats and tissue boxes magically appear in front of him. He glanced at her, and she feigned sleep, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. He smiled at her, and her heart leapt. She closed her mind to the thoughts that had popped up, lured by his smile. She closed her heart and mind to him, and tried not to notice little details, like the way his glasses distorted his eyes at the angle she lay at, or how he was doing advanced charms no seventh year ought to be capable of. He glanced over at her again, and then looked around him. He approached her, sitting beside her, and brushed her still bloody red hair away from her pale face. He leaned over her and he was about to kiss her when-

"Stop right there!" Lily sat up abruptly and winced.

"Gotcha!" James laughed hysterically, rolling on the ground.

"You knew I was awake?" Lily asked.

"Yuh-huh." James sat down on the seats across from her, tearing open the wrapper of a chocolate frog.

"How?" She cocked her head in genuine curiosity, ignoring the little explosions of pain along her neck.

"When I smiled at you, you smiled back." He grinned at his victory.

"How do you know I don't always smile in my sleep?" Lily grinned.

"You never did before." He lied.

"What? You watched me while I was sleeping? How creepy and Edward-like."

"Who's Edward?" He asked her, conjuring up a patronus and petting it.

"Oh my god! My sister would _kill_ you. It's this vampire romance novel thing. I hate it. It's like blasphemy to _real_ magic." Lily laughed.

"Hey, Lily," He began. "No, shut up for a sec. Why _won't_ you go out with me?"

It was a good question, and she probably would have answered it, too, but just then-

"Attention all students! We are nearing the castle, so please leave all baggage and pets on the train. They will be carried up separately."

James got up and stretched.

"I supposed you'll have to go up in those clothes." He said ruefully, jerking his head and raising his eyebrows.

"What's wrong with them?" Lily asked indignantly. She wore jeans and a white t-shirt. Nothing special, but still nothing to sneeze at.

"Nothing, accept that they're covered in your blood." James laughed. "Well, this always works. _Scourgify_!" Lily flinched, but she felt a light breeze and smelled soap, and when she looked down, craning her neck painfully, her clothes were clean.

"Very nice," She said admiringly.

"Thank you very much." James posed cockily.

"Ha ha." Lily looked out the window. The castle came into view in all of its beauty.

"Ok, we're almost there." James shifted his robes and pulled out Lily's wand.

"What are you gonna do?" Lily asked suspiciously.

"Just lift you." He promised. "Locomoter Lily!" He waved the wand, and Lily floated in the air, just at the right height. Then he put his arms beneath her, supporting her, and she fell into his arms.

"Uggghhhh." she groaned, closing her eyes.

"What? Did I hurt you?" James shook his shaggy hair out of his eyes and inspected her with concern.

"No, I just can't freaking wait to get seen with you carrying me through Hogsmeade." Lily opened her green eyes again and wrinkled her nose. James kept his eyes on her face and shifted her in his arms. She groaned and closed her eyes again, burying her face in his shoulder. He smiled smugly when he knew she couldn't see. Shifting her hair over so that the bloody part couldn't be seen, and walked out of the compartment.

"Whoa, Potter, what's with the red head?"

"Hey, what happened to Evans?"

"Did she faint?"

"Did she die?"

"Did you hurt her?"

"Did you find her?"

"Did you get lucky?"

James ginned as she waded through the crowds of students leaving the compartments.

"Hey, there you guys are!" Kylie waved them over from a few feet behind them.

"Hi, where were you guys?" James slowed down with difficulty as the people surged around him.

"Oh, Sirius's fault." Remus Admitted. "He started talking to Esmeralda Vane, and we got stuck in that general area until they went missing."

"Missing?" Asked James.

"I think he got lucky." Remus smiled sheepishly. **(AN: can you tell we like this phrase?)**

"Hey there Lily, how're you doing?" Iris tilted her head, trying to see Lily's face, totally ignoring the embarrassing conversation happening a foot away.

"Ok, really dizzy." Lily raised her head a fraction.

"That's weird." Iris sounded concerned. She waved over Kylie, who unhooked her arm from Remus's and fell back to walk behind James. The two girls walked slowly so that they could talk to Lily.

"Lily's dizzy, but she shouldn't be." Iris announced. Kylie and Iris exchanged meaningful looks. Lily had an idea of what they were talking about, but with James carrying her, she decided to keep her mouth shut. Before Lily knew it, they were in the carriages and then at the castle.

Lily woke from a short doze to James carrying her up spiral stairs.

"Huh? What?" She mumbled, dazed.

"We just got here. Headed to the hospital wing." He told her, shifting her to be more secure.

"Oh," She closed her eyes again, and barely felt James put her down minutes later.

"-And she's been asleep on and off ever since the potion you sent wore off."

"I see. Lily, can you hear me?" Lily sat up to the sound of Madam Pomfrey's voice. She moaned in pain, and sat back. She had been set down on a bed near the door of the hospital wing. James stood on one side of the bed, Madam Pomfrey on the other.

"Ah, Lily. Please try not to move. You may have broken ribs." Lily lay very still. Madam Pomfrey cast a spell with her wand. Suddenly, a red light spread over Lily. Red lines surged over her skin. James stepped forward, concerned. It seemed to make perfect sense to Madam Pomfrey, who inspected Lily head to toe.

"Ah, let's see. We've got a shattered ankle, a twisted ankle, a broken wrist . . . Oh, my."

"What?" James asked.

"Two broken ribs and . . . something is not right there. Lily, turn your head." Lily did.

"Oh, dear. Her spine. There's a hairline crack."

"She'll be okay, right?" James sounded worried.

"Of course, even the cracked spine I can fix right now, but . . ."

"What?" Lily asked.

"Lily, dear. Magic is not easy on the body, and full healing is hard, even with magic. I'm afraid that this may take time. You may have to visit me again, and take some kind of potion." She drew her wand and, in a trice mended Lily's broken bones.

"Now, I'm going to give James your prescription. You two will be rooming together, so it'll be easier." As Lily slept drowsily, she took James aside. While distributing the medicine, she whispered. "One thing I couldn't tell Lily- the real reason full healing isn't possible at this time." James turned to her, shocked. "Lily's been cursed. Somebody must have shot a spell at her while she was passed out, right before you found her. It's a terrible curse- not deadly, but one of sleep. It's why she's been so tired, so dizzy. I could tell by just looking at her."

"Kind of like the Draught of Living Death?" He asked, absentmindedly messing up his hair.

"In a way. But in spell from, you see. The long-term affects would be that she would sleep forever. Muggles would call it a coma. Fortunately, she was hit with a bad attempt at the spell. She will find it very hard to wake up in the morning, but that is the extent."

"That's it?" He laughed nervously.

"This is no laughing matter." Madam Pomfrey warned. "If she is not woken up every morning, she'll keep sleeping forever."

"How do I wake her up?" asked James.

"These." Madam Pomfrey extended a small jar. Inside, James could see purple roots, and what looked like crushed leaves. The mixture solidified, and turned to salt.

"Smelling salts." James realized.

"Exactly. Also, to fend off the spell, she must take this potion at lunch and dinner." She thrust a flask of pink liquid into James's hands.

"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey. Can we go to the feast now?"

"Yes, Potter. Take good care of her."

James helped Lily gingerly to her feet, as she was a little stiff.

"Ah!" Her out-of-use legs collapsed beneath her. Helping her up, James helped her along the hallway.

"Potter, what are you doing he-?"

"I might ask you the same thing, _Snivellus_." James sneered at Snape. Snape was holding a bloody handkerchief to his nose, and James remembered their little encounter. He almost smiled. To think that he had caused Snape annoyance was excellent.

"Lily, I can see the quality of the company you keep had nose-dived." Snape kept his eyes on James.

"It was a lot worse when you and I were friends." Lily's eyes were alive with anger.

"Lily-"

"YOU DON'T YOU CALL ME LILY! IT'S EVANS TO YOU, YOU…YOU IDIOT!" Lily shouted.

"Evans-"

"Oh, shut up Snape, Lily doesn't want to see a hair on your greasy head." James put an arm around her, which she didn't notice, as she was still pretty numb. Sanpe obviously _did_ notice it, because he sneered at James and began to walk off.

"Don't forget to order some more of that extra grease shampoo." James said over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I found that website you asked for: ." Lily laughed and they walked away. "It sells shampoo grease in 300-pound packs!"

"Yeah! What's a webbite?" James added.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Lily called as they walked away.

"You used my evil nick-name for Snape!" James exclaimed.

"Whatever, I'm just hungry. Let's go down to the feast." She said.

And they did.

So just to clear some stuff up: Lily was hit with a really bad spell, which makes her drowsy and dizzy all the time.

And can you guys tell we like the phrase 'get lucky'?

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Lots of Harry Potter related love,

ihearthp96 and Rashelleah95


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Lily! Wake up!" Lily's eyelids fluttered and she stirred a little, turning over and feebly tried to swat away her assailant. "Lily, come on." the lights in Lily's room flickered on and James shook her awake, waving the smelling salts under her nose again. "Lily, you gotta get up, I've got to practice." He was wearing his scarlet Quiditch robes and his Silver Arrow broomstick was leaning against the bed.  
>"Ugghhhhh," Lily sat up reluctantly, pushing a few stray hairs from her face. She whipped her eyes and threw her long red braid over one shoulder. She pulled the covers up to her chest, covering her spaghetti-strapped lavender nightgown. "Why do you have to practice <em>now<em>? Call it off and let me sleeeeeeep." Lily buried her head in her pillow.  
>"Lily, <em>I'm<em> the only one practicing. I've gotta practice before I announce tryouts. You've got to come, because you can't be alone and no one else is up. I've got to make sure someone watches you 24/7." James pulled her out of bed, and she pushed him out the door.  
>"Lemme get dressed and I'll be out in a few." Lily slurred, and James left. She pulled on her robes over jeans and slid half into her sneakers. She slumped through the doorway and James caught her.<br>"Hey, try not to pass out on me."  
>"You mean that literally? 'Cause I'd love to pass out right about now. God, I'm tired." Lily yawned.<br>"Well, what can I do about that?"  
>"We could stop in the great hall," Lily suggested. "And get some coffee?"<br>"Nah, I'm announcing tryouts for next Saturday. I have no doubt that all the professors are gonna pile homework on us like there's no tomorrow, so early mornings are my only chance." James got up from his armchair in the common room. The head boy and girl's dormitory was just off the common room, a hall with a password-protected head's common room. There were two doors, also with passwords, that led to Lily and James's rooms.  
>"Arggghhhhhhhh," Lily fell backwards into an armchair. "Why do you even have to practice? You're good-"<br>"You think I'm good?" James practically fell out of his chair.  
>"Gaghhhhh!" Said Lily again. "I say really stupid stuff at two in the morning."<br>"It's not two in the morning! It's two _thirty_!" James teased. "I'm kidding, relax. It's almost five. Now get up, or do you want to miss breakfast?" Lily got up.

Walking down the hall, Lily yelled, "HUGE COCKROACH!"  
>"WHERE?" Yelled back James.<br>"ON YOUR BROOM!" Lily screamed back.  
>SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!<br>"WHERE?" James yelled.  
>"THERE!"<br>"LILY, ARE YOU MESSING WITH ME?" James screamed.  
>"YES!"<br>"THEN WHY ARE YOU STILL SCREAMING?" James yelled.  
>"I MIGHT ASK YOU THE SAME THING!" Lily shrieked back, she drew a huge breath.<br>"Ok, and the point of that was . . .?" Asked James.  
>"Getting to go back to my room and sleeping. You know, what <em>civilized<em> non-quidditch players do at night!"  
>"Now, Lily, don't be naive. You think that's all that civilized non-quidditch players do at night?"<br>"James!"  
>"Whatever. Now, are you gonna walk down to the pitch with me, or do I have to fly us down?" James rolled his eyes.<br>"Walking."  
>"Why? Flying is much faster." James raised his eyebrows.<br>"Do you have to know everything?" Lily asked, annoyed.  
>"Yes."<br>"Ugh, if you must know, I'm afraid of heights." Lily set her jaw.  
>"Seriously? Wow, is that why you hate me?" James asked, bursting into laughter.<br>"Partly."  
>"And what's the other part? Because I'm an arrogant toe-rag who's broomstick can't get off the ground due to his oversized head?"<br>"Pretty much." Lily said, yawning again.  
>"God. Really?" James was trying not to explode with suppressed laughter. "Wow, I'm on a roll today." Lily rolled her eyes.<br>"Are you sure about that coffee?" Asked Lily pleadingly as they walked past the great hall.  
>"Yes," Said James, dragging her through the entrance hall. "We'll eat after, <em>if<em> we have time." Pushing open the huge doors, he led Lily onto the grounds.  
>"You know," Said Lily, "You really should be more careful. I'm very, very fragile." Lily faux-fainted sarcastically.<br>"Not even." James shook his head.  
>"You sure?" Lily raised her eyebrows. "You've been barely letting me breathe on my own since yesterday." Lily stretched, still feeling the stiffness from lying down for the past, oh, twenty hours. Add to that the fact that she'd lost several gallons of blood recently and hadn't eaten yet, Lily felt pretty lousy. The two of them walked the rest of the way down to the pitch.<p>

"Lily!" She woke up to someone shaking her shoulder.  
>"Ire?" Lily blinked awake.<br>"You have to stop randomly passing out. It's beginning to get freaky." Kylie said. Lily was surrounded by all the Marauders, including James, who had broom-stick-hair, and both Kylie and Iris.  
>"I'm getting a bit tired of it too." Lily groaned, sitting up. She was slumped on a picnic blanket on the Quidditch pitch. The blanket was covered in food the others had nicked from the great hall.<br>"Don't see how you can be tired with all the sleeping you're doing." Sirius muttered. Kylie and Peter laughed, but Iris just rolled her eyes.  
>"Seriously though," Said James, running his hand through his hair again. "Should she be so tired?"<br>"I dunno." Iris sighed. "We should just eat breakfast, we can take her to Madam P after."  
>"Um, I could have sworn I'd just gone invisible, but in case you hadn't noticed, I can hear you." Lily snapped. She bit irritably into a piece of toast.<br>"Lil," Kylie began, putting a hand on Lily's shoulder. "It's not that we don't trust you or forgot that you're there, it's that we can't know if you are the best judge of what's best for you now. Lil, if we put you in charge of you, nine times of ten you'd decide against what's best. Please just trust that we're trying to help."  
>"Wow, judge much? Fine." Lily sighed and leaned back, unfortunately for her, into James's lap. Everyone laughed.<br>"Come on, guys, this is ridiculous." Iris shook with laughter. Sirius raised his eyebrows.  
>"Yes," He told her. "It is." And then he threw his arms around her and pulled her back into his lap, for the second time in the last twenty-four hours.<br>"Great." moaned Iris. She struggled, but she was trapped.  
>"Ire, you really should have seen that coming." Kylie said, leaning back against Remus's shoulder.<br>"I guess." Iris sighed.


End file.
